Canopy Management is Not for the Meek.

Canopy Management requires some degree of risk tolerance and a strong faith in a plants ability to respond suitably to both the gentle and extreme coaxings of the bold gardener.

Keeping heavy branches supported is one thing (and important to good canopy management), but, keeping potentially higher yielding branches down is another story - it is much like selling stocks high and them buying low is counter to both our psychology and difficult keep disciplined with.

Cut something and get more is the basis for pruning and necessary for canopy management - this idea also extends to actions such as breaking, pinching, bending and twisting.

Ouch!

But working the plant into an optimal shape for its conditions is an effective way to up production; and it is practiced by serious gardeners with the same sense of urgency as other important stuff like feeding and pest control.

The more we demand of a plant (under the right circumstances), the better it will perform and yield to the external forces we apply.

Point is, sometimes something might break before its potential is reached - or better yet, maybe if no breaking is risked, no potential will be achieved.